Peignoirs (taken from the French peigner, to comb) were alternately known as combing dresses, wrappers, and morning robes. They were designed for women to wear in their own homes, offering them a reprieve from corsets. While earlier peignoirs often emphasized practicality over prettiness, this design exemplifies a late nineteenth-century shift toward more lavish intimate apparel.

Object Number: 80.1.5

Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
Seventh Avenue at 27 Street
New York City 10001-5992